Jackman up for a song and dance

Hugh Jackman looks set to star in a musical adaptation for Disney

Oct  6 2005

Demand for Hugh Jackman's services continues to increase unabated as Walt Disney Pictures hopes he will star in its musical adaptation of the Cecelia Ahern novel 'If You Could See Me Now'.

Although the book has not yet been released Disney has snapped up the rights and assigned the project to producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron who are already working on remakes of 'Footloose' and 'Hairspray'.

The pair will team up with Jackman and 'X-Men 3' producer John Palermo, who told trade mag Variety: 'We've been combing material for a great idea that's transferable to a musical, and Hugh really responded to this book.'

Jackman himself is no stranger to the realm of musicals having displayed his singing and dancing prowess in Tony-winning Broadway musical 'The Boy From Oz'.

Ahern's novel, which won't be in bookshops until the New Year, tells the story of a young boy who has an imaginary friend named Ivan (Jackman) – there is a twist, but there's plenty of time for someone else to spoil that for you.

The 36-year old Aussie, Jackman, has just completed work on Darren Aronofsky's 'The Fountain' and is currently to be found filming the third instalment of 'X-Men'.